THE launch of hourly trains to London and Manchester has been welcomed as a sign of a town's regeneration.

Residents believe the two new services from Kidsgrove Railway Station will stimulate the economy, bring people to the area and help residents win jobs in the cities.

Mike Piddock, from the Kidsgrove Environmental Watch Response Group, said his organisation had been campaigning to improve the town's infrastructure for eight years.

The 71-year-old, of Keats Gardens, said: "We believe this will support the regeneration of the town centre, bring businesses to the area and improve links with Stoke-on-Trent."

Fellow member Jon Honeysett, a former British Rail project officer, said: "These new services will be the main plank in the regeneration of Kidsgrove.

"Once you have an all-platform station, people will feel more confident about moving to the area and buying a home.

"Good transport links generally lead to the attractiveness of the area."

The new service to Manchester operated by Northern Rail was launched yesterday.

Trains will run every hour on Mondays to Fridays and take around an hour. Travellers will still have to change at Stoke at the weekends.

Trains to London Euston from Kidsgrove began on Sunday, operated by London Midland. They will run every hour during the week and take around two hours and 50 minutes. On Sundays, the trains will run every two hours.

The Manchester service was launched yesterday to the sound of a brass band.

Moorlands MP Charlotte Atkins and town dignitaries took the 10.05 train to celebrate the start of a new service.

Ms Atkins said the train station and the canal would play a huge role in Kidsgrove's regeneration. She said: "This new service could not have come at a better time in terms of climate change and the credit crunch."

An hourly service to Manchester from Kidsgrove was stopped by British Rail 15 years ago.

Northern Rail says it has been able to re-start the service as a result of changes to train schedules following improvements to the West Coast Main Line.

A spokesman for Northern Rail said: "The new Kidsgrove service will run during weekdays at generally five minutes past the hour, with more frequency during the morning and evening peaks."

London Midland said the new service from Kidsgrove to London would take the Trent Valley Line. He said: "The train will start at Crewe and call at Alsager, Kidsgrove, Stoke, Stone and Stafford. Instead of going through Birmingham as some of our current services do, it will go along the Trent Valley line calling at Rugeley, Lichfield, Milton Keynes and Watford."

David Lythgoe, of Turnhurst Road, Packmoor, was one of the first people to try out the Manchester service yesterday.

The 40-year-old said: "I can get here in a five or 10-minute drive rather than travel to Stoke.

"I also think it will be good for young people who want to travel to Manchester as we did when I was younger."

Andrea Ellis, aged 34, of Linley Road, Talke, said: "It is much easier to park at Kidsgrove station than Stoke and it is free. It will really benefit shoppers."